Display counter construction



Aug. 29, 1939. J. F. URBANEK DISPLAY COUNTER CQNSTRUCTION Filed June 11, 1957 :5 Shefs-Sheet 1' I Aug. 29, 1939. J. F. URBANEK DISPLAY COUNTER CONSTRUCTION (Filed June 11, 1937 3 Sheets-She t 2 g? fines? M121 4 Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE 2,171,378 DISPLAY COUNTER CONSTRUCTION James F. Urbanek, Elmwood Park, 111. Application June 11, 1937, Serial No. 147,599 12 Claims. (Cl. 312-414) This invention relates to improvements in display counter construction and more particularly to a sectional counter for advantageously displaying products for retail trade.

A general object of the invention is to provide a counter made of a plurality of individual matched sections fitting end to end and having front walls formed in a plurality of horizontally extending angularly related transparent portions which are aligned in the several units to produce a continuous front wall of like contour for the counter.

Another object resides in the provision of a counter of this character including a unitary corner section matching at its end faces with the adjoining counter sections to form an angular counter or serving as the end section of a generally straight counter, and having the front wall thereof formed with two faces in which the angularly related transparent portions of each face extend at right angles to the corresponding portions of the other face, whereby to maintain the general symmetry of the front wall of the counter assembly.

Another object is to provide a counter corner section for the purpose indicated which is. adapted to be packed and shipped to the user in a kockdown condition; which may be easily and quickly assembled from a few simple, standardized parts; and which when assembled provides a unit of rigid construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an enclosed display counter corner unit in which angularly related front walls are formed of a plurality of transparent panels mounted in a novel manner to facilitate inspection from various angles of the contents on display within the enclosure.

Another object is to provide an improved transparent front wall construction for a corner display unit of the character indicated including.

a'plurality of glass panels mounted to form a peaked corner and removably joined together by novel clip means.

Another object is to provide improved means for holding in position angularly related transparent panels of a corner display counter so as to avoid obstructing a prospective customers view of the contents on display.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection. with the accompanying drawings, in which:

.Figure l is a perspective view of one form of sectional display counter arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another form of sectional display counter arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of 'one of the straight or inner counter units utilized in forming the sectional counters. 5'

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a preferred form of unitary corner section for use at the ends or corners of the sectional counters.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the corner counter unit looking toward the left end thereof as 10 seen in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental sectional View taken substantially along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of the front corner of the counter unit shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view of the corner peak in the front wall of the corner unit.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane of line Ill-Ill of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a rear perspective view of the corner clip shown in Fig. 9.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail, a preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In a preferred construction embodying the invention a plurality of individual counter units are assembled to form a large sectional counter within which bulk products such as nut meats, confections, and the like, may be placed on display for retail trade. Each counter unit includes a base, transparent end walls, a transparent front wall and a tray top. The front wall is formed with a slanting upper section so as to facilitate examination of the goods on display by persons standing close to the counter. At the rear the units are open for easy access by an attendant or clerk.

As exemplified in the drawings, a display counter assembly embodying the invention may take several forms depending on the counter space desired. In some locations, it is desirable to have a counter assembly of L- or U-shape including aligned straight units I5 and corner units l6, as shown in Fig. 1. In other locations a substantially straight counter may be formed, as shown in Fig. 2, of one or more straight units I5 with corner units I6 finishing off the ends of the assembly.

The counter sections have their front walls formed with a plurality of transparent portions angularly related in upward directions as, for example, lower vertical portions and upper slanting portions. These front wall portions in the several counter sections are horizontally aligned to produce a continuous front wall for the counter eminently suited for the favorable displa of large amounts of merchandise within the counter sections.

Although the effect of the counter assembly as a whole is that of continuous symmetry, each of the several counter sections is wholly enclosed at the front, sides and top thereof so that the merchandise therein is isolated from the other sections and may be subjected to individual conditions as to temperature, special illumination, or the like. Thus, the straight counter sections I5 may be of the construction best seen in Fig. 3 wherein an individual section has been illustrated which includes transparent side walls IT, a transparent front wall having a vertical lower portion I 8 and a slanting upper portion I9, and a top closure 20. As is evident, the straight units I5 may also be used as separate counters.

In the corner units I6, the front wall comprises two faces in which the panels of the upper and lower portions of each face extend horizontally at right angles to the corresponding portions of the other face, the upper slanting portions coaeting to produce a transparent slanting corner. Novel means for holding the panels in position permits free visibility through said slanting corner and through the horizontal meeting lines between the upper and lower portions of each face.

Upon reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 it will be seen that a preferred form of corner unit I6 includes a base 2I having right-angularly related and left and right hand end portions 22 and 23, and a front corner 24. The endportions 22 and 23 are of the same depth as the inner sections I5 with which they are adapted to coact to form, in effect, a continuous rectangular counter assembly. Each end portion, moreover, is of greater overall length than width and the L-shape form thus provided for the base 2| affords ample clearance at the back of the corner unit for easy access thereinto.

At each end of the base is mounted a vertical end wall comprising a metal frame 25 and a transparent panel 26 which may be of suitable plate glass. The frame is made up of appropriate channel bar stock and is of a generally inverted U-shape comprising an upright front leg 2! including an upper slanting section 28, a top connecting bar 29 and an upright rear leg 30. The glass panel 26 is dimensioned complementary to the frame to be engaged edgewise thereby in assembly. To secure the end wall assembly in place on the base 2I, foot plates 3I carried by the front and rear. legs 2! and 30 of the frame are secured to the base by means of screws 3I As shown the rear legs 30 are spaced forwardly of the rear ends of the end margins of the base, thereby providing a substantial clearance between these legs for access into the unit from the rear. 7

The front of the corner unit I 6 is enclosed by a right angular front wall, indicated generally by the numeral 3 2. Herein this wall is composed of two sets of transparent panels 33 and 34, and upper glass panels and 36. These panels are preferably of the same height as the corresponding panels of the straight units I5. The lower panels are mounted in converging relation parallel with the respeetive front sides of the base portions 22 and 23 and have their remote ends supported by the side frame legs 27, the latter being for this purpose preferably of multiple-ehannel shaped cross section comprising angularly related channels to receive the respective adjacent ends of the several wall panels. At their meeting ends the lower panels are supported by an upright corner post 31 which is suitably mounted rigidly above the cor ner 24 of the base.

As best seen in Fig. 9 the corner post 31 may be economically formed of a pair of channel bars 38 and 39 secured together at their bases in right angular relationship to receive the adjacent edges of the respective wall panels. Preferably, the upper end of the post 37 terminates short of the upper edges of the engaged panels.

The upper front wall panels 35 and 36 are mounted in converging relationship and slant upwardly and rearwardly from the upper edges of the respective lower panels 33 and 34 and meet therewith along angular lines and M. At

panels, lower glass and the corner post 31.

Novel means is provided to maintain the close abutment of the biased edges of the upper front wall panels 35 and 36 and to connect such panels in fixed edge alignment with 33 and H or through the slanting corner 42. To indicated generally by the numeral 43, engages the meeting corner margins of the several panels at the lower end of the slanting corner 42. In a preferred form the clip comprises a relatively short channel member 44 of L-shape form which engages the adjoining lower panels 33 and the corner post 31. For simplicity in manufacture the channel memsame stock as used in constructing the corner post 37 and the frames 25.

An angular flange plate 45 is suitably secured to the back side of the channel member 44 and has an inner flange or lip 46 formed on a compound rearward slant to engage behind the adjoining lower corner margins of the panels 35 and 36 (Figs. 10 and 11). Secured to the front side of the channel member 44 is an angular plate 4! which has separated rearwardly slanting flanges 48 formed in parallel opposition to the lip 46for' engaging in front of the said lower corner margins. Preferably the flanges 48 are resilient to permit slight yielding in assembling the upper panels 35 and 36 with the clip. A reinforcing angle 49 may be secured across the outer corner of the clip. As shown, the several parts of the clip are secured together by spot welding.

Enclosing the top of dimensioned sheet metal the unit is a suitably tray 50 which may be of generally L-shape form conforming to the base 2|. The ends of the tray top 50 are provided with suitable elongated supporting hangers 52 (Figs. 5 and 6) which engage over or rest upon the upper connecting bars 29 of the end wall frames.

The tray top carries means cooperative with the clip 43 to hold the upper wall panels 35 and 36 in position with respect to the slanting corner 42. To this end an upstanding flange 53, herein of U-shape form, along the front margins of the tray top has its upper face in approximately the plane of the upper edges of the panels 35 and 36 and engages in supporting relation behind said upper edges.

Projecting forwardly from the top of the front corner of the upstanding flange 53 is a horizontal flange 54 which overlies the upper end of the transparent corner section 42 the adjoining upper corner margins of the panels 35 and 36 to hold such panels against forward or upward displacement. In the present instance the flange 54 comprises a horizontal plate suitably secured as by spot welding to the flange 53. Where necessary to bring the lower face of the flange plate 54 into a plane above the edges of the underlying panels, a shim plate 55 may be interposed between the flanges.

If desired, the counter section may be provided with a merchandise tray 51 which may be of suitable sheet metal construction and rests upon the base 2!. Suitable illuminating and heating means may be contained within a hood 58 carried by the lower face of the tray top 50, means such as a conduit or cable 59 extending upwardly from the base 2| for the necessary electrical wiring.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides substantial improvements in the construction and arrangement of sectional display counters embodying a number of important advantages among which may be mentioned the features of simplicity in construction and ease of assembly, together with the rigid clear-view front wall construction. By the unitary construction of the individual sections the several kinds or variety groups of products on display may be kept each under the conditions best suited thereto in practical isolation from other goods requiring different conditions, and yet the counter as a whole provides a compact assembly of exceptionally large capacity in a relatively small space. The novel corner sections which serve to connect symmetrically the right angular spans of a large angular counter or to finish off the ends of a straight counter,

are simply and efiiciently constructed and the transparent panels forming the angular front wall faces thereof are held rigidly in position in a manner which permits the products on display to be viewed from several angles practically without obstruction.

I claim as my invention:

1. A corner unit of the character described comprising, in combination, an angular base having end walls, a pair of transparent upwardly and rearwardly extending panels having adjoining biased margins angularly related to produce a transparent corner, visibility throughout the major length of said corner into the unit being free and unobstructed, the opposite margins of said panels being in engagement with the respective end walls, means upon said base for supporting the lower margins of said panels, an angular top closure removably supported by said end walls and having means engaging back of and bears against the upper margins of said panels, and a horizontal flange projecting from said closure across the top margins of said panels over said transparent corner and cooperating with said lower marginsupporting means to hold said panels in position,

said flange being releasable from panel-holding position by shifting said top closure.

2. In combination in a corner counter unit of the character described, a base having a corner, a pair of upright glass panels mounted upon said base and meeting at said corner to produce a glass corner, a second pair of glass panels having their lower edges adjoining the upper edges of said upright panels and slanting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, the adjacent edges of said second glass panels being formed on a bias and meeting to provide a slanting continuation of said glass corner, and an angular clip engaging limited adjoining marginal parts of all four of said panels at the lower end of said slanting continuation.

3. A counter construction of the character described comprising in combination, a base, upright transparent wall panels mounted upon said base and converging endwise, transparent upper wall panels slanting upwardly and rearwardly from the upper margins of said upright panels and meeting edgewise therewith along horizontal lines, the adjacent margins of said upper panels being in abutment to provide a transparent corner, and means engaging small marginal portions of the four panels solely by surface contact in the region of their convergence for connecting said upper panels in position permitting clear visibility through said corner and through the horizontal meeting edges of said upright panels and said upper panels.

4. In combination in a display counter, a pair of upright wall panels mounted to form a corner, a pair of transparent upper panels slanting upwardly and rearwardly from said upright panels and providing a transparent slanting corner in continuation of the first mentioned corner, and a clip mounted upon the upper margins of said upright panels and engaging a limited area of the adjacent lower margins of said upper panels to hold the upper panels in position, said clip permitting unobstructed visibility through the major portion of said transparent corner.

5. A display counter construction of the character described comprising, in combination, a base, upright lower panels mounted upon said base and converging to form a corner, a clip having a channel-shaped base supported by the upper adjacent corner margins of said lower panels, inner flange means projecting generally upwardly from said clip base, a pair of independently flexible outer flanges on said clip opposing said inner flange means, and glass upper panels supported between said inner flange means and said outer flanges.

6. In combination in a corner unit for a sec tional display counter, an angular base having equally dimensioned end portions adapting the same for use in a left or right hand corner, vertical end walls including transparent panels and supporting frames mounted adjacent to the ends of said end portions of the base, a front wall including lower vertical glass panels and upper rearwardly slanting glass panels converging near the outside corner of said base and having their remote ends supported by said frames, a vertical corner post connecting said vertical glass panels and terminating short of the upper edges thereof, an L-shaped corner clip having a channel base engaging the adjacent upper corner margins of said front panels above the upper end of said corner post, opposed flanges on said clip engaging the lower adjacent corner margins of said upper glass panels to hold the latter panels in position, and a removable top having hangers for engaging the upper edges of said end walls and means overlying the upper edges of said upper panels cooperative with said corner clip to hold said upper panels in position.

'7. In combination in a corner unit for a sectional counter, a base having angularly related front margins forming a corner and end margins adapted to coact with adjoining counter sections, each of said end margins having mounted thereabove an upright frame including front and rear uprights and a connecting bar between the upper ends of said uprights, the rear uprights being spaced forwardly of the rear ends of said end margins to provide a substantial clearance between such uprights for access into the unit, transparent'end wall panels supported by said frames, transparent front wall panels supported endwise by the front uprights and converging at said corner, means carried by said base at said corner for holding the front panels in position, and a tray member supported by said connecting bars of said frames for enclosing the top of the unit and having means coacting with the front panels supplemental to said corner holding means for maintaining the position of these panels.

8. A display counter comprising, in combination, a base, a pair of upright transparent panels adjoining edgewise, a panel-supporting post rising from said base at the joint between said panels, a second pair of transparent panels marginally coacting with the upper edges of said upright panels and slanting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, said second pair of panels adjoining edgewise substantially to form a slanting continuation of the joint between said upright panels, and a connecting clip engaging the ad- J'acent corner portions of all four panels above said post.

9. In a display counter construction of the character described, in combination, a base, a pair of angularly related upright panels adjoining edgewise, a post rising from said base at the corner formed by the adjoining marginsof said panels and having a pair of angularly related channels for marginally receiving and supporting said panels, a second pair of panels marginally coacting with the upper edges of said upright panels and slanting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, said second panels converging edgewise to form a rearwardly slanting continuation of said corner, and a member for connecting said second panels together and to said upright panels including upper and lower channel portions to receive the adjacent four marginal corners of the four panels and having parts respectively conforming to the planes of the panels received thereby.

10. A display counter construction of the character described comprising, in combination, a base, walls including upwardly and rearwardly slanting transparent panels adjoining edgewise, a removable top closure for the counter including means engageable in supporting relation rearwardly of the upper edges of said transparent panels, and means projecting forwardly from said top closure above said panel-edge supporting means for holding said panels against upward displacement.

11. In a corner unit adapted for use alone or interchangeably as the left or right corner section of a sectional display counter, an angularly shaped base including two elongated display sections squared off at their remote ends, vertical end walls parallel with said ends, front walls on said sections contacting with said end walls at their remote margins and converging at the front corner of the base, said front Walls including lower upright transparent panels and upper rearwardly and upwardly slanting transparent panels, means for connecting the four marginal corners of the converging edges of said panels, and a top closure for the unit supported by said end Walls and having means for marginally engaging the tops of said slanting panels to hold the latter in position, the rear edges of said side walls being located to permit unobstructed access into the enclosed unit between the base and said top closure along the entire lengths of the rear edges of said base sections.

12. A display counter construction of the character described comprising, in combination, a base, a pair of converging wall panels rising from said base, a pair of transparent panels cooperating in enclosing relation with the upper edges of said Wall panels and slanting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, the proximate edges of said transparent panels adjoining to form a transparent corner, and means for holding said proximate edges together substantially without obstructing free visibility through said corner including separate means engaging said transparent panels solely by surface contact in the adjacent portions thereof at the upper and lower ends of said corner and leaving the intervening length of said corner unsupported except for the support derived from contact of said proximate edges of said transparent panels one with the other.

JAMES F. URBANEK. 

